Archive for November, 2011

Fruit

I absolutely love eating fruit for breakfast! Sometimes I’ll grab an apple and a banana, sometimes I’ll open up a can of pears and/or peaches (I usually rinse with a little water first in order to take away some of the sweetness that comes with the syrup it’s packed with), and sometimes I’ll go all out and but 5 or 6 different healthy fruits and cut them up into bite size pieces and throw them in a big bowl. Then whenever I want to eat a bowl of fruit for breakfast or just want a quick and healthy snack, I just pour some into a smaller bowl and eat away (usually with a toothpick since I’m reading or working and don’t want to get all sticky). Other times I’ll add this healthy food option to my healthy breakfast, such as on top of my yogurt or on top of my french toast.

Fruit Bowl

Sometimes I don’t feel like cutting up all that healthy fruit into a bowl, but when I think about the end result – a big, beautiful bowl of delicious and healthy fresh fruit – I start cutting away! The first time I started cutting up the variety of different fruits I bought, the knife wasn’t that sharp and it was much more difficult to cut the pieces into the shape and size I wanted. So be sure you have a really sharp knife so that the cutting up process is as simple as possible. (Be Careful!) My favorites right now (for cutting up and eating) include – red apples, green apples, oranges, pears, pineapples, red grapes, and green grapes. For the most part this stays the same, changing with the seasons for freshness and variety!

Healthy Fruit

Consider looking into the various types of benefits that eating fruit provides, which will allow you to better understand the full nutritional values you are giving your body. I eat some type of fruit every single morning and call it breakfast #1. Then about 20-30 minutes later, I’ll eat breakfast #2, whichis usually either a bowl of cereal, a bowl of oatmeal, or a bowl of yogurt. Yum! (This makes me feel I’m eating more than I am!) So what are some of your favorite fruits? Update: Recently, I tried for the very first time a persimmons, and it was really delicious! I bought them from a couple of friends who grow them and sell them at the Sierra Vista Farmers Market where I volunteer on Thursdays. Yay! A new addition to my list…

This is a fancy version of the classic french toast recipe. I absolutely love eating french toast and have so for years, so figured maybe it was time to look for a french toast recipe that I could eat from time to time that had a bit of a twist to it so I could make it for special occasions.

French Toast

French Toast. Sounds so fancy, doesn’t it? So exactly what is French Toast? Making French Toast is easy and consists of taking a slice of bread (needs to be dry or thick so it doesn’t fall apart), dipping both sides into an egg mixture, and then frying it in a pan until light (or dark depending on your particular taste) brown.

French Toast Nutrition

When you eat French Toast, you are eating a good amount of carbohydrates (bread) as well as some protein (eggs), which will help to keep you full longer and thus a good way to start the day. There are a variety of fruits and syrups that are used to add a particular flavor and/or texture to French Toast, which of course are all optional. Choosing a different flavor of syrup or adding different kinds of fruit allow for versatility so you never get bored eating French Toast! Syrups – Pure Maple (a favorite!), Boysenberry, Blackberry Fruits – Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Pears, Peaches Ingredients 3 large eggs (preferably organic and from free range chickens) 1/2 cup milk (made from cows that don’t receive any type of growth hormones or antibiotics) 1 tbsp unsalted butter (//100healthybreakfastrecipes.com/2011/07/is-butter-bad/) 1/2 tbsp agave syrup 1 tbsp orange juice plus 1 tsp orange zest pinch of coarse salt Sunflower Oil for cooking Your choice of bread (sliced thick is a good idea) –Brioche, Sour Dough, Whole Grain, Your Favorite Directions Heat oil in large pan turned on to medium to medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, place all ingredients into a shallow bowl and mix well. Add a tbsp of butter to pan and spread around well so bread won’t stick. Gently dip the bread slice into the egg mixture (let excess drip off) and then place into pan. Cook for 4 -5 minutes on each side, or according to your particular likeness. When you take the French Toast out of the pan, set it on a few paper towels for a few seconds to absorb any extra butter/oil so it doesn’t get soggy. Place French Toast onto a fancy plate and add your favorite fruit(s) and syrup, and a little bit of butter if you must. Powdered sugar is also a favorite among many and can be sprinkled on top once your masterpiece is complete.Enjoy!! If your French Toast recipe happens to come out exceptionally well, or you added something unique, be sure to share so everyone can enjoy!

I remember when I was a kid, I did not like Tomatoes. I thought they looked funny and when I finally got the courage to actually taste one, the flavor was not appealing at all (a dash of salt probably would have helped). As a lot of people know, when you grow up your tastes tend to change. Luckily for me I eventually developed a taste for eating Tomatoes. Tomatoes are officially listed as both a vegetable and a fruit.

How to Eat Tomatoes

I put Tomatoes in salads, in sandwiches, in pasta dishes, on burgers, on pizza, and use them as a side dish for a variety of healthy meals. Oh, and I absolutely love Tomato Soup, with a toasted cheese sandwich on the side, of course.

Tomatoes for Breakfast

For breakfast, sometimes I’ll put a few thin slices of tomato on toast with a little olive oil drizzled on top. Or I’ll add some slices on the side when I eat scrambled eggs. A good old-fashioned BLT is also quite enjoyable, yet I don’t eat them as often as I used to due to the high fat content in mayo, and the general unhealthiness that accompanies regular bacon. I also would eat more than one because they’re so good! (Maybe I can make a healthier version? hmmmm…). For a vegetarian breakfast, I eat them on a bagel along with a little Neufchatel Cheese and vegetarian bacon.

So how healthy are tomatoes?

Tomatoes… • are full of vitamins and antioxidants • include lycopene (a flavonoid antioxidant), which protects the body from harmful free radicals and are known to help prevent cancer • are rich in potassium • are low in calories • help to lower cardiovascular disease

-Roma, Heirloom, Early Girl, Beefsteak, Plum, Cherry, Grape Did You Know… -Tomatoes are America’s fourth most popular vegetable? -Tomatoes are grown in all 50 states? With California growing a whopping 96% of them? -China is the largest producer of Tomatoes? -French people used to call the Tomato the ‘apple of love’? -The heaviest Tomato on record weighed in at more than 7 pounds? TIPS: -Tomatoes that are fully ripe when picked contain a lot more vitamin C ad beta-carotene -Storing Tomatoes in the refrigerator isn’t highly recommended as this can reduce flavor and firmness. Instead, store them in a cool dry place… -Tomatoes are more easily absorbed into the body if you add a little (healthy!) fat when eating them, such as olive oil or an avocado

Peanut Butter is one of the most popular foods that kids (and adults!) love to eat. Peanut Butter is full of nutrition, can be added to a variety of healthy breakfast recipes (pancakes, toast, homemade breakfast bars), is jelly’s buddy when it comes to one of the most popular sandwiches ever created, is added to quite a few candy bars for extra deliciousness, and of course is often eaten all by itself by dipping a spoon right in the jar to be enjoyed for its wonderful simplicity.

Peanut Butter Nutrition

It’s important to understand that the less refined the peanut butter, meaning the less it is processed and thus the less additional and unnecessary ingredients it contains, the better! Two tablespoons of peanut butter contain about 190 calories, provides about 6 grams of carbohydrates, about 2 grams of fiber, about 8 grams of protein, and about 25% of your daily intake of monounsaturated fats (which is good1).

Peanut Butter – Fat & Calories

Although Peanut Butter is high in calories, it offers lots of nutritional benefits. Most of the calories comes from the high amount of fat, yet the majority of these fats are monounsaturated, which is a good fat as it can help to lower your LDL (aka bad) cholesterol. The other fats are polyunsaturated, which helps to raise your HDL (aka good) cholesterol, so it’s really a win-win when it comes to the fats found in Peanut Butter. A small amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber (as well as other essentials) are also included in Peanut Butter.

Looking for a Peanut Butter Recipe?

Try out one or both of these super easy Peanut Butter recipes. Be sure to share the end result as well as if you altered the recipe to make it even more healthy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter cookies are easy to make and quite delicious! 1/2 heaping cup whole wheat flour 3/4 cups of quick oats 1/3 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 heaping cup of Peanut Butter 1/3 cup agave syrup 1 large egg 1 1/2 tsps vanilla Heat oven to 375°. First combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Then combine all the wet ingredients and mix them together well. Then blend the two together, once again mixing well until fully blended. Drop a tablespoon or so of the Peanut Butter cookie dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9 – 11 minutes. TIPS: Put the dough into the refrigerator for about half an hour, which make sit easier to work with. Flatten dough with a fork for a more traditional look. Sprinkle a few small dark chocolate chips of top for extra specialness!

Peanut Butter Balls

This Peanut Butter recipe is super fun for kids to make as well as super delicious! 1 1/2 cups of quick oats 1/4 – 1/3 cup of agave syrup 2/3 cup of Peanut Butter 1/4 cup of Flax Seeds (also adds crunch, which some kids like and some don’t) 1/4 cup of raisins or chocolate chips 1/2 tsp vanilla Mix together well and chill for a couple of hours. Enjoy!!

How to Make Peanut Butter – So Simple!

Put (roasted and blanched) peanuts into a grinder. Add salt to taste. Sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oil (although hydrogentated vegetable oil keeps the the Peanut Butter oils from seperating from the Peanut Butter itself, it contains trans fats, which are bad news!) are also commonly added for flavor. TIP: You don’t have to keep Peanut Butter in the refrigerator. IMPORTANT!: It is highly recommended that children under the age of two avoid eating peanut butter due to a possible allergic reaction. Therefore, recipes with peanuts should also be avoided.